An Amazing Visit to the DMV. Thanks to Color, Nature, and Design

I recently purchased a new car. The one reason I really don't like buying a new car is that it forces me to go to the DMV. I put it off until almost the last day of my temporary registration. I braced myself and walked into a sea of annoyed people who didn't want to be there...let alone for hours. Everywhere I looked people were agitated. I didn't like how I was feeling in this building. While waiting in line for a number, I took everything in. The walls were a dingy color. Fluorescent lights of course. It felt dirty and cold. I sat down with a book, knowing there were about 70 people ahead of me. It took me all but 5 minutes to get up and leave. There had to be another option. I actually came back later in the afternoon thinking that it might be less crowded. I must have a better sense of humor than I thought. I walked through the front doors, saw even more people and again left. Driving away, I remembered another location that was much nicer. I had renewed my drivers license there a couple of years ago. I decided to head over there early the next morning. It couldn't be any worse.

When I arrived, all of the same good feelings came flooding back...despite a long line...and wouldn't you know it, about 70 people ahead of me. Why did it feel so different than the day before? The building was obviously designed an architect who understood user-centered design. There were huge walls of windows in both the Information area and waiting area. The waiting area looked out onto a beautifully landscaped courtyard and the mountains. Natural light poured in. Fluorescent lights were used as task lighting for those working at desks. The ceilings were high and expansive. The color palette was in soft yellows and creams with natural wood accents. The floor was neutral. The harmony was wonderful. What was most noticeable of all was how people were behaving in this space. They were calm, waiting until it was their turn. Had they been any less annoyed in having to come spend hours at the DMV than the people I had encountered at the other office? No. The design influenced how people felt in the space. People gravitated toward the windows like they were in a park rather than a high-stress office. It was even pretty quiet.

I must give credit to the architecture firm who designed this building,--Tate, Snyder, Kimsey of Henderson, Nevada. They designed a space for the people using the space. If user-centered design can make a 2.5 hour wait at the DMV peaceful and enjoyable, what can it do for your home or business? Think about that the next time you think the design doesn't affect people. And go to the Decatur DMV...and experience it yourself.

For a user-centered design color consultation, call 702.202.7543.

What Color Do I Paint the Ceiling?

We don't think much about ceiling colors until it comes time to paint. So during color consultations, the questions often arises about what to do with ceilings. There are a couple of issues to consider. Does the ceiling continue on to other rooms? This the classic open floor plan problem. Sure, you can paint the ceiling the same color as the walls in the kitchen and family room. But, that same ceiling continues on to the living room. In that case, you have two choices. Go with a white ceiling. Or, chose neutral color in the tan family for all of your first floor ceiling. I love using a neutral to bring down the sometimes stark contrast between the walls and ceiling.

Self-contained ceilings/rooms are a different story. If you have crown-molding, I like applying the wall color to the ceiling as well. It makes the ceiling special. Plus, you get the added benefit of not having to deal with those troublesome ceiling paint lines. Unless you are an expert, it's tough to make that line look professional. A skilled painter should have no problem making it look great. Another room where I like to continue the wall color on the ceiling is in bathrooms. Is there any good reason to draw the eye to a white ceiling in such a small room? Not really.

Most resistance to the idea of painting the ceiling the same color as the walls comes from conditioning. People perpetuate this practice often times without any thought. It's what they know. Broaden your ideas and color palette. You'll love the results.

For questions about color consultations, call 702.202.7543 or email maryfrances@mycolordesigner.com .

Why I Don't Recommend Lowe's for Paint Color Matching

I'm a notoriously impulsive painter for my own projects. I get in the mood to paint and off I go. It's been a while, but that's exactly what happened on Thursday night. I moved into a new home in February and had yet to choose my own colors. My friends *love* giving me a hard time about my ivory walls. I'd been eyeing Bunglehouse Blue by Sherwin Williams for my fireplace and media niche. I thought it would be a fantastic complement to my ruby red couch and oak floors.

I often work with Sherwin Williams colors because they have great oversized color samples, in addition to beautiful color selections. The most important reason I recommend their colors? The paint color is exactly like the samples, so what you see is what you get. You'd think I'd follow my own advice. Sherwin Williams was closed, so I headed over to Lowe's. In every color consultation, I tell clients to go to a paint storeto have the colors mixed because they are professionals and do the best job. I've even had new clients come to me to redo their colors because they didn't get good results from a box hardware store. I figured that I would be the exception. I got home and excitedly opened up the paint can to get to work. I thought it looked a little dark. I was sure that once it was applied and dried, it would be the right color. I was wrong! The beautiful blue I expected came out as a blackish green. This morning, I headed over to Sherwin Williams to start over again. Wouldn't you know it, my new paint looked exactly like the sample. I LOVE it.

I thought about people who get many gallons of paint for a large project. I'm lucky it was just a fireplace. So much time and energy and money spent on colors that just aren't right. It doesn't have to be that way. Lesson learned. Go with the professionals for the best results and for the colors you love.

To schedule a color consultation, call 702.202.7543.

Choosing Colors for Your New Home

I recently received a call from a new client. She and her husband had purchased a new home, and they were ready to paint. She told me that they had vibrant colors in their last home and wanted something different for the new home. She was frustrated because they kept gravitating towards the colors they had before, therefore they needed help.

When I arrived at their home for the color consultation, I saw pops of bright colors in their furniture, accessories and artwork. Right away I knew. They keep going back to these kinds of colors because they really like them! Typically, we feel the struggle in choosing colors when we're going against our intuition. Does that mean we're stuck with the same colors forever? Of course not. We chose a color palette that used cleaner hues with more of a punch. By combining citrus-y oranges and yellows and greens with a splash of aqua and java as accents, we created a unique and inspiring palette for their new home. Some of the colors were similar, but the home felt entirely different and their own.

To schedule a color consultation, call 702.202.7543.

Medical Office Colors - Do They Matter?

Recently, my daughter and I were patiently waiting in the examining room at the doctor's office. Stark. That's the only word I can come up with to describe it. Most of the time we spend in medical offices is spent waiting. Many times, we are apprehensive and uncertain about being there. Poor design contributes to this experience. On the other hand, a few simple changes to the examining room colors would make patients feel more comfortable and nurtured during their visit. Good healthcare design offers a balance of warm and cool colors. 

Which examining room would make you feel better?

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The Many Colors of Starbucks

In a color consultation, I spend time getting to know my clients and their color associations. It plays an important part in determining what color families feel good to them. Every once in a while, Starbucks comes up. "I love the colors in Starbucks!" It's an interesting observation because unlike some stores, the colors in Starbucks are not the same from location to location. So it's not necessarily the particular colors, it's how they are used and how they make you feel. I'll ask my client what it is about the colors that they like. Words like "warm", "welcoming", "cozy", and "comfortable" come up. These feelings all have different color associations depending on your experience. These are the clues for me in creating a color palette for your home that feels this way to you. And might I say, Starbucks knows exactly what they are doing. They purposely create an environment where people want to get together and spend time. Think about it. Isn't that exactly how we want our homes to feel? Whether it's Thanksgiving dinner or movie night or a shared cup of coffee at the kitchen table. The right colors will make your home the place where your family and friends love to spend time.

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To schedule a consultation or discuss your project, call 702.202.7543.

Choosing Color with Your Heart, Not Your Head

In getting to know one of my clients and what she wanted, she showed me a number of pictures from interior design magazines and websites of what she had in mind. Most of the photos featured walls in numerous shades of tan. Then she showed me a living room wall that she had painted with those little tester pots from the paint store--a few different greens. "I don't like any of them. I don't know what to do. I know I should go with tan, but it just doesn't feel right to me." Bingo. I smiled and said, "Good for you. You're going with your gut. You already know that's not what you want. That feeling isn't going to change when you put it on your walls." She knew what she didn't want, but she was trying to talk herself into it because that's what she was "supposed" to do. 

When it comes to color, it's all about choosing with your heart rather than your head. It's sooo easy to let your mind talk you out of what you love because it isn't "right." Choosing with your head is what sent you to the paint store half a dozen times only to come up empty. You know the moment the color isn't right. It happens all the time in a color consultation when I put color samples up on the walls with clients. They squint their eyes and shake their heads, "No." We eliminate the "no's" and begin a search for the Yes. When I've hit up on the right color, their whole demeanor changes. A smile emerges. Everything opens up. Most often, it's a color that never occurred to them. Then the questions begin. "It's okay to use blue in my living room?" Absolutely. There are no wrong colors. Once we find the ones that make you feel good, I show you how to coordinate them and where to put them. All of the color theory and application? Leave that to me. I create the perfect color palette for YOU. All that vexing over color becomes a distant memory, and you're thrilled about what your home will become. 

You deserve to feel excited about your home. Let's make it happen together.

www.mycolordesigner.com

702.202.7543